Manic Street Preachers

[Gold Against The Soul]

Judging by the 'great lyrics' thread, there seem to plenty of Manics fans on here. So a question to you all, which is your favourite political Manics song?. Obviously my username is a nod to one of my favourites but for my fave is probably 'Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwould fallapart'. It just really grabs your attention when you first hear it and you want to find out more. I don't think I understood a single lyric the first time I heard it but it made me find out so much more. Which of course, is what is so brilliant about the Manics full stop!. :D

[Invader Zim]

The manics are my favourite band. But you are named after my second least favorate manics album.

I don't know if I can list my favourite songs (not necessarily political), but I'll give it a go. However, if I listed all of them I would end up adding new ones all day, so I'll try to limit my self.

2 from each album: -

Motorcycle Emptiness
Little baby Nothing
Roses In the Hospital
From Dispair to Where
Die In the Summer Time
Faster
No Surface All Feeling
Enola/Alone
Nobody Loved You
If You Tolerate this
Ocean spray
My Guernica
Empty Souls
Glasnost

Other mentionalbles not included by album: -

Die In the Summer Time (Demo) (US Mix of the Holy Bible)
No Jubiliees - (B-Side)
Automatik Teknicolour (B-Side)
Spectators of Suicide (Heavenly version) (Lipstick Traces)
Patrick Bateman (B-side)
Prologue to History (Lipstick Traces)
Strip It Down (Nw Art Riot EP)
If You tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next [The Class Reunion of the Sunset Marquis Mix] (B-side)
Razorblade Beat (Demo)

I would say that the Holy Bible, especially some tracks from the US mix is probably the best album I own or ever could own. It is a classic, in the same way that Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy or Darkside of the Moon by Pink Floyd are classics.

[Ander]

I've only ever heard "If You Tolerate This" which I believe is an anti-fascist song? Is this true?

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 2 2006, 01:36 AM
I've only ever heard "If You Tolerate This" which I believe is an anti-fascist song? Is this true?

It is about the Spanish Civil war and is vehemently anti-fascist, but it is more a critique of the policy of the British government during the period, a reflection of the people who faught in the war, etc.

'So if I can shoot rabbits
Then I can shoot fascists'

This line is supposedly by a Welsh farmer who enlisted in the international brigade. The song takes a lot of inspiration from writters such as George Orwell, who actually faught in the war.

By the way, the afore mentioned line, when placed into context is probably one of the greatest lyrics ever written: -

The future teaches you to be alone
The present to be afraid and cold
So if I can shoot rabbits then I can shoot fascists

Bullets for your brain today
But we'll forget it all again
Monuments put from pen to paper
Turns me into a gutless wonder

And if you tolerate this, then your children will be next
And if you tolerate this, then your children will be next
Will be next, will be next, will be next

Gravity keeps my head down
Or is it maybe shame
At being so young and being so vain

Holes in your head today
But I'm a pacifist
I've walked La Ramblas but not with real intent

And if you tolerate this, then your children will be next
And if you tolerate this, then your children will be next
Will be next, will be next, will be next, will be next

And on the street tonight
An old man plays with newspaper cuttings of his glory days

And if you tolerate this, then your children will be next
And if you tolerate this, then your children will be next
Will be next, will be next, will be next

[chebol]

Manic Street Preachers - The Masses Against the Classes

THE COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE PRIMARY ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO PROTECT PROPERTY FROM THE MAJORITY - AND SO IT REMAINS (Chomsky)

Hello it's us again
We're still so in love with you
And yes we mean it too
Yes we're so in love with you
Hello it's us again
You thought you were our friends
Success is an ugly word
Especially in your tiny world

The masses against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When the future is what we believe in
We love the winter, it brings us closer together

So can you hurt us any more
Can you feel like it was before
Or are you lost for evermore
Messed up and dead on alcohol
Hello fond farewell my dear
I hope you hear this nice and clear
Our love is unconditional
Our hate is yours to feed upon

The masses against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When the future is what we believe in
We love the winter, it brings us closer together

The masses against the classes
I'm tired of giving a reason
When we're the only thing left to believe in
We love the winter, it brings us closer together

A SLAVE BEGINS BY DEMANDING JUSTICE, AND ENDS BY WANTING TO WEAR A CROWN... (Camus)

[RebelDog]

I've have always believed 'If You Tolerate This' was a commentry on the Ken Loach film 'Land and Freedom'

[Gold Against The Soul]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 2 2006, 06:11 AM
I've have always believed 'If You Tolerate This' was a commentry on the Ken Loach film 'Land and Freedom'
I think both the song and film are based on George Orwell's 'Homage to Catalonia'.

[RevolverNo9]

When I was 13 I think I made it my mission to understand Revol... ah, I'm feeling nostalgic now.

(Holy Bible, genuinely one of history's greatest albums - not just a sycophantic lie.)

[Just Dave]

When I was 13 I think I made it my mission to understand Revol... ah, I'm feeling nostalgic now

The way I understand it is that he is comparing his own faliures in relationships etc. to the faliures of the so-called communists in creating communist societies.

Faster is one of my favourite songs ever

[chebol]

To be honest, I like almost all the songs. Depends on the mood, obviously.

On a slightly different tack, has anyone heard JDB or Nicky Wire's new solo albums?

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11 2006, 12:06 PM
To be honest, I like almost all the songs. Depends on the mood, obviously.

On a slightly different tack, has anyone heard JDB or Nicky Wire's new solo albums?
I have JDB's solo albums, its OK, but nothing spectacular.

[Led Zeppelin]

Enigma, can you send me those songs you listed by them, I can't find them on Limewire.

[Led Zeppelin]

I just found a torrent for their Holy Bible album, so far I'm loving it, awesome band.

[Don't Change Your Name]

They are probably the best band ever...if you're a postmodern leftist bisexual "rebel" kid.

I can stand them.

[RevolverNo9]

What was 'postmodern' about them?

Listening to them again (five years and more since I became an obsessive), I'm not sure that as much of their work really does stand up as really great music (I mean Know Your Enemy was actually pretty awful save, Ocean Spray). But they created so many wonderful songs... and The Holy Bible. End of story.

[Led Zeppelin]

I downloaded Glasnost, but the voice of the singer is different than in their other songs, what's up with that?

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by Marxism-[email protected] 13 2006, 03:51 PM
I downloaded Glasnost, but the voice of the singer is different than in their other songs, what's up with that?
...it doesn't.

[RedAnarchist]

I suppose If You Tolerate This and The Masses Against the Classes, as I have them on my mp3 player.

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14 2006, 12:41 PM
I suppose If You Tolerate This and The Masses Against the Classes, as I have them on my mp3 player.
Why do people only ever go for the pop-songs a band makes? Those two happen to be the only two manics singles to get to number one in the UK singles charts.

Try and broaden your world beyond the truly meagre horizons of pop music.

[Okocim]

awesome band. I like 'Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwould fallapart' the best too - probably one of my favourite bands.

[chebol]

People go for the singles/ hits because:

1. they get greater reach and audience

2. they are generally better songs

3. Mr Carbohydrate isn't the greatest song in the world. (Although Socialist Serenade and We Are All Bourgeois now are up there)

4. A Design For Life is kick-arse, but most people tend to miss the point of most of their other songs (and even that one).

5. Rock'n'roll is like prostitution. Most people cut straight to the chase, they don't hang around to appreciate the person for their very real and endearing qualities. Welcome to the alienating world of late capitalism.

[Invader Zim]

In terms of their singles, the best one IMO is Faster or Motorcycle Emptiness. But I ahve been listening to their modern stuff most lately, IE post EMG and a lot of their b-sides (mainly ones not on Lipstick traces) and a dug up new ARt Riot recently. The origional strip it down is much better than any of their singles though.


they are generally better songs

Are they fuck.

Hell some of the remixes by other artists are better than the origional singles.

The instrumental only If You tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next [The Class Reunion of the Sunset Marquis Mix] by David Holmes, which lasts about 10 minutes is really good and possibly better than the origional when your in the mood for it.

The You stole the Sun remix by Holmes is undoubtedly better.